Psychostick
Sandwich

August 2009
Released: 2009, Rock Ridge Music
Rating: 2.0/5
Reviewer: Robert Williams

24 tracks make up SANDWICH the latest release from Tempe, Arizona's five piece Psycostick. One look at the album cover which is a sandwich with the band's logo emblazoned in Ketchup is enough to tell you that Pyscostick is a little bit on the goofier side of the spectrum. Not to mention the band photos in the booklet. In bold text on the spine of the cd reads "MMM! Delicious Metal!" Unfortunately, nothing about this disc screams metal and I would say that the same review Spinal Tap received for "Shark Sandwich" would aptly sum up this release as well.



What you do get with Psychostick's SANDWICH album are songs about caffeine. Songs about how the letter "P" is the best letter in the alphabet because that is what Psychostick's name starts with. Songs about your friends eating all of your food and songs about taking a shower, songs asking you "Do You Want A Taco?"



The sa(i)d subject matter at hand is executed sufficiently enough set against a heavy modern rock sound that is not unlike System of A Down. In fact on tracks like "Caffeine" and "P is the Best Letter" the vocal phrasing is reminiscent of a union between Serj Tankian and Weird Al and that is not a good thing. Don't understand me wrong; Psychostick can play their respective instruments, they just choose to make the most belligerently annoying songs that I just can't stomache.



If hokey gimmick metal is your thing, you are hereby warned that nothing Psycostick dispays on SANDWICH is on par with the material of GWAR, Lordi, Steel Panther or even the aforementioned Spinal Tap. Do not expect any fall out of your chair funny stuff or catchy hooks.